Hatching small duck eggs...

[GeoGreyWolf]

So my 6 year old asked me when i was collecting the duck egg, why we cant incubate the smaller ones and have to wait for them to be bigger.. Tried to do some quick research, but couldn't really find an answer. Does anyone have one? I am figuring due to the size of a duck, but would a smaller egg produce smaller ducklings, say like teacup sized in dogs?

 

[kesrchicky16]

So my 6 year old asked me when i was collecting the duck egg, why we cant incubate the smaller ones and have to wait for them to be bigger.. Tried to do some quick research, but couldn't really find an answer. Does anyone have one? I am figuring due to the size of a duck, but would a smaller egg produce smaller ducklings, say like teacup sized in dogs?

Are you talking about newly laying ducks? Call ducks? Or mixed flock of heavy bodied like Peking and lighter bodied like runners?

My runner eggs are visible smaller then the Peking and Rouen eggs but all from mature birds and I will incubate all. I know in chickens it is suggested not to incubate pullet eggs because they are smaller and the chick had to have room to grow. A teenage human has the same size baby as an adult.

 

[lomine]

If you are referring to eggs from a new layer you can incubate. I’ve incubated pullet and hen eggs together and the pullet hatched better than the hen eggs. The ducklings might hatch a bit smaller but they’ll catch up after hatch.

I think another thing about eggs from young birds is fertility. Sometimes the younger ones need time to get all systems going right.

 

[kesrchicky16]

If you are referring to eggs from a new layer you can incubate. I’ve incubated pullet and hen eggs together and the pullet hatched better than the hen eggs. The ducklings might hatch a bit smaller but they’ll catch up after hatch.

I think another thing about eggs from young birds is fertility. Sometimes the younger ones need time to get all systems going right.

That's the fun part suggested and can't are 2 different things.

 

[GeoGreyWolf]

yes she is a new layer, pekin mother, dad would be a swedish. Eggs are about the size of a large chicken egg maybe slightly bigger at the tip

 

[Miss Lydia]

They have gotten bigger!

 

[kesrchicky16]

yes she is a new layer, pekin mother, dad would be a swedish. Eggs are about the size of a large chicken egg maybe slightly bigger at the tip

Wow those are tiny if they are only large chicken egg size! My Peking eggs will not fit in a large size egg carton. I bought jumbo egg cartons and sometimes those are a tight spot.

 

[GeoGreyWolf]

yes that is why I was wondering, I told her we had to wait. but can not find any real reason why. I have seen some videos with people who have runt size ducks.. One guy had one that was fully grown but looked to be the size of my juvenile muscovy.
This is a picture i took of the size difference between a large chicken egg and a duck egg.
On top is the chicken egg, below the duck egg.

 

[kesrchicky16]

yes that is why I was wondering, I told her we had to wait. but can not find any real reason why. I have seen some videos with people who have runt size ducks.. One guy had one that was fully grown but looked to be the size of my juvenile muscovy.
This is a picture i took of the size difference between a large chicken egg and a duck egg.
View attachment 1231815 On top is the chicken egg, below the duck egg.

Wow! I've never seen a duck egg that small. Granted I'm still kinda new to ducks and my Peking that just started laying this August often lays double yolk which is ridiculous (3.5 inches long) but that's a teeny egg.

But like others said if it's fertile it could hatch and be fine. Your birds your choice. I would be in the "let's not hatch that one" camp.

 

[lomine]

I would say if you want to try, go for it. Just crack a few open to check for fertility. I have read nothing that states a chick or duck hatched from a young layer egg will be a 'runt.' I'm sure the causes for any size issues are to do with genetics or nutrition.